LAS VEGAS (July 31, 2023)—The Las Vegas Aces have been without the services of starting forward-center Candace Parker for seven games, but you wouldn’t know it by looking at the results as they bring a seven-game winning streak with them into Tuesday’s meeting with the Atlanta Dream (14-11). Tip at Michelob ULTRA Arena is slated for 7 pm PT.
Las Vegas is 23-2 on the year, and is tied with the 1998 Houston Comets for the best record in WNBA history through 25 games. They boast the most efficient offense (115.2 OER) and defense in the league (96.3 DER) and are challenging for the top spot on the league’s single-season scoring (94.5 ppg) and field goal percentage charts (.503).
The Aces have four All-Star leading the way in A’ja Wilson, Chelsea Gray, Kelsey Plum and Jackie Young. The trio of Wilson, Gray and Plum recently set a WNBA record as they have each scored 20 or more points in each of the last 5 games—something no other WNBA triumvirate has managed to do.
The Dream began the season winning just 2 of their first 7 games, but have improved to 14-11 on the year, and now find themselves in fourth place in the league standings. Atlanta’s offense (100.9 OER) and defense (100.7 DER) are each ranked fourth in the WNBA. The place Atlanta shines the most offensively is at the charity stripe as they get to the free throw line more than any team in the league at 22.5 times per game. They are susceptible to turning the ball over, however, as they rank 10th in the W in turnover percentage.
Three members of the Dream are averaging double figures in scoring—Allisha Gray (18.2 ppg), Rhyne Howard (17.9) and Cheyenne Parker (13.4). Six other players average between 4 and 9 points as Atlanta has one of the deeper benches in the league with 11 members of the team average more than 10 minutes.
This is the second of four meetings between the clubs this season. Las Vegas upended the Dream, 92-87, on June 2 in Atlanta.A’ja Wilson 921 points) and Jackie Young (20) led five Aces players in double figures, while Cheyenne Parker’s 25 points paced all scorers. Las Vegas led by as many as 19 points, and still had a 16-point advantage with 7:43 to go in the game. A furious Dream rally cut the Aces’ lead to two, 89-87, with 36 seconds remaining, but two defensive stops, a Chelsea Gray mid-range jumper and a Kiah Stokes free throw sealed the win.